Two Catholic moms. One faith.

Dear Anne, Dabo Swinney is my spirit animal for 2019. It’s not just that he coached his Clemson Tigers to another national championship Monday night, or even that he reduced Alabama’s dark lord Nick Saban to a houndstooth-patterned poster boy for the overhyped. It’s that he did it with such infectious joy and a constant… Continue reading Don’t be a Nick–Be Like Dabo!

Dear Susan, Here is what passed for convivial holiday conversation at our house this year: “Are they from Mexico?” “No.” “Are they expired?” “No.” “OK, then. I’ll take a few.” Forget the present exchange on Christmas Eve; my husband and I exchanged antibiotics, as he turned the corner on his bronchitis while I began my… Continue reading Three Wise Men and a Lunar Module

Dear Susan, Recently overheard in the Kennedy living room: “Who is that long-haired hippie?” “Is it ZZ Top?” “No, the beard’s not quite right.” “It’s the Oak Ridge Boys. They’ve been traveling around with their suits for the last few weeks in case the President passed.” Not your usual holiday party chit chat, huh? By… Continue reading All the Best, Mr. President

Dear Anne, I used to think my neighbors were crazy. Each year they would put up their Christmas tree and decorate it on Christmas Eve after their kids (all nine of them!) went to bed. They waited until the 24th for carols and Christmas cookies. I thought they were gluttons for punishment (with nine kids,… Continue reading It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like–Advent?

Dear Susan, We need a little Christmas – NOW! While I know you had a great 2018, I also know the rest of us are more than ready to see the year end. For us, the year had a rocky start, and the avalanches just kept coming. It is no wonder then, that I joined… Continue reading We Need a Little Christmas in the Neighborhood

Dear Susan, As we approached the wedding venue, Ted whispered, “Just so you know, we’re sitting on the groom’s side.” I snorted in response; we were attending our first same-sex union. It was all the groom’s side. This led to a plethora of other questions: would both grooms walk down the aisle (they did), would… Continue reading The Bridegrooms Cometh